The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-03
THE FOUNDING COMMISSION.

THE FOUNDING COMMISSION.
The Fishery Commission, which is now hold
ing such solemn and delightful sessions in
Washington, may he brought up with sharp
turn one of these fine days Thus far the
President and Secretary Bayard have had
everything their own way. The commits
sioners have been appointed, have come to-
gether and paid their respects to his beeiness.
the President, have been given the keys Of
the diplomatic chamber in the State Depart
ment, and, after great flourish of trumpets,
have commenced their deliberations. But
the Senate is yet to be heard from, and when
it is heard from the President and Secretary
Bayard may discover that they have made
serious mistake in trying to formulate an
international policy for the government, not
only without the advice Or consent Of the
Senate, bat contrary to its deliberate and
expressed views. In short it is questionable
whether the commission, so far as the Ameri-
can commissioners concerned, has any
legal existence. The commission is an ad-
ministraSion scheme, and is entirely unauthor-
lied SO far as Congress is concerned. The
Senate may possibly approve and father the
scheme, but is more likely not to do so. As
the case stands, it is purely Cleveland-Bay-
ard scheme for settling question which the
Senate has plainly intimated should be settled
in very different way. During the last
session of Congress bill was passed which
originated in the Senate, known as the retail
iation bill 1t recognized the existence of
just grounds of complaint on the part of this
government for violation of treaty
rights touching the fishery question, and
directed the President, if the treaty infrac-
tions should continue, to retaliate by denying
to Canadian vessels any entrance into the
waters or ports of the United States, except
in cases of distress, and 20 prohibit the entry
of fresh and salt fish or any other product of
Canada into the territory of the United
States. The act gave the President
a discretionary power equivalent to
placing embargo on Canadian vessels
and trade, and directed him to exercise the
power if the Canadian authorities should con-
tinue their denial and violation of our treaty
rights in the fishery question. Whether this
was wise legislation or not, it passed and is
the law to-day It's spirit is that Of firm
assertion of our treaty rights and of retalia-
ton in kind for their violation. There is no
limiting at commission or anything of the
kind. The Interpretation of the treaty and
our rights under it were thoroughly discussed
in the Senate, and the retaliatory act was
both declaratory of those rights and of the
policy to be pursued by the government. The
act has been dead letter. Instead of obey
ing and executing it the President politely
turned mis- back on it, and he and the Secre-
tary of State set themselves about creating
fishery commission. Perhaps they were
wiser than Congress, but that is not the ques-
ton. Congress had indicated how the SUBJ
ject should be treated, had directed what
should be done and who should do it. The
President says in effect: '1 think there is
better way of treating this subject, and I do
not choose to adopt the congressional plan"
So he and Mr.. Bayard proceed to appoint
fishery commissioners to hold a pow-wow
some new basis of settlement other than an
enforcement of our treaty rights. The con-
spicuous features of the commission plan are
first that it is in direct contravention of the
act of Congress; second, that instead of assert
ing our rights it proposes to rattle for them;
third, instead of insisting on the doctrine of
protecting American industries it proposes to
substitute the fallacy of commercial recipro-
city, or sugar-coated free trade; and finally, |
the President has arrogated to himself the |
power Of appointing commissioners without |
authority during a recess of the
Senate and without consulting it. He has |
filed offices that do not exist. Thus far he |
and Secretary Bayard have had everything
their own way, but it is more than likely that |
when Congress meets they will hear music
from the band. The Cleveland Bayard
method is not the American method of gov
TIFF ASSISTANT DEMOCRATS